Vintage Sewing Machines for DIY bikepacking gear

I recently have been collecting, fixing, and learning everything I can about 1970's and earlier vintage sewing machines (VSM's). My first experiences making bikepacking gear was using a plastic Brother sewing machine from walmart and it sucked. It got the job done, but the stitches were ugly and it kept jamming. I was searching the internet for info on the best sewing machine to get for making my own gear and ran across an article touting the greatness of all metal VSM's. They are cheap, plentiful, and were made to last forever.
A few weeks later, I now have 13 machines and the collection keeps growing. My intent with this thread is to have it for a reference for anyone interested in making their own bags/gear that doesn't know where to start sewing machine wise and to also have a place to share info about what machines work well and other helpful info on them. It would also be great for others to post pics and other info here of their vintage sewing machines/experiences.
A good machine to start with is a 70's or earlier Kenmore. My first VSM was a 1968 Kenmore model 158.1301 I got for $20 from the local classifieds. Nothing wrong with it, just needed lubing and cleaning and then worked like new.

The above is a great machine. You only need 2 stitches, straight and zigzag. These old machines do both fantastically.

Pretty much any kenmore starting with model number 158.xxx will be a potentially great machine if well maintained and lubed.

The Kenmore UtraStitch 12's are also awesome machines, very smooth running.

Later, I'll post pics of some more of my machines that I've found to work well, but for now I'll end with my favorite and most recommended machine. In my opinion, the Italian machines made by Necchi from the 50's-60's are THE machines to get for DIY gear. This is my '54-ish Necchi BU Mira

I recently modified this machine with a double pulley gear reduction so it could sew thicker materials like leather and canvas without burning up the motor. It only took about 30 min to modify. Originally, it only had one belt that went from the motor to the hand wheel. I added a second belt and a pulley to gear things down. Us bikers all know a thing or two about gearing down.

Now it sews through 3/8" thick leather with ease

There are other great machines such as the vintage Bernina's but I prefer the Necchi. I had a Bernina Record 830 that I got at the local thrift store for $15 and sold for $400, which is about what they go for. It paid for all my other machines. I will always resell any Bernina I aquire, as good as they are, because every one want's them and they command a premium. Can't justify having a machine worth that much when one worth half as much is better for heavy duty sewing.

Collecting and fixing up bikes is my main hobby but now VSM's are a close second!

Anyone wanting to get a VSM to make bikebags, my experience for the best places to find them cheap has been thrift stores, local classifieds, and garage sales. They can often be found for $20-50. Some people would warn others away from these old machines, but once you get familiar with them, many are very simple to work on and get running superbly. If all the parts are there, most of the time all they need is a little cleaning and lubing/oiling if they are frozen up from sitting for decades.

Many old Singer's are great machines too. One of my favorite Singers is the model 15-91 or the 201-2. They have what is referred to as potted motors which are gear driven and have no drive belt. They will sew pretty much anything you can fit under the presser foot. The main draw back to these is most of them will need rewiring as the electrical cords on these models are usually old, deteriorated, and unsafe.

The 15-91 and 201-2 don't have drive belts and the motor is connected right to the side of the machine as in the pic below:

Among other great singers are the 400 and 500 series. I have 3 of these model 500a machines from the 60's which are commonly reffered to as the "Rocketeer" because of the styling. They sew great, very heavy duty, and even have some fancy stitches.
As cool as they are, they are not my favorite because they are not as simple in design as some of the other machines, and the presser foot doesn't raise up as high as the Singer 15-91, the Kenmore's or the Necchi for sewing thicker material. A great machine to get if you can find one for $50ish or less. Still a great machine for $75-100, but there's probably no reason to pay that much if you're in an area with lots of VSM's available.

I have recently been thinking about getting a machine but the selection and price ranges were overwhelming. But a quick CL search turns up a working Ultra Stitch 12 for much less them I had budgeted. I going to buy it tomorrow if it's still available and will let everyone know how it turns out.

How much are they asking for it big papa nut? If you have any questions or want to post a pic of it I'm more than willing to help with info if I can. Not sure how familiar you are with sewing machines, but incase you're new to them I can offer a few tips. If not, I'll still post this for any newbies to help them know what to look for when looking at a machine.
First thing, is never run a sewing machine motor under load at first when unsure about the condition. Always turn the hand wheel by hand towards you, counter clockwise, on most machines. If it turns smoothly and the needle/needle bar goes up and down, you're most likely good to go and it probably works. If it is frozen, it might just have been sitting a LONG time and need to be lubed, or it could be broken. If it's frozen and the sellers are asking more than $10-20 for it, I usually walk away unless it's a highly desirable machine. Triflow chain oil is one of the best things to use to loosen a frozen machine.
Next thing is to test the motor. Always run the motor without a load at first. To do this, just loosen the knob in the center of the handwheel. This knob is a type of clutch, when tightened, the main crank turns and the needle goes up and down, when loosened, the main crank doesnt turn, and the motor only turns the bobbin winder.
So if you turn the wheel and the needle doesnt go up and down, it doesnt mean the machine is broken. More than likely, the stop motion knob is just loosened.
If you're brave, the next step is to either buy the machine and wait to lube and run it at home, or you can risk running the motor very briefly with the knob tightened just to see if run's smoothly. One thing to note is that many unknowing people often throw around the term of "bad timing". Whenever a problem arises and the machine won't stitch right they often assume the timing got knocked out of spec. On some of the more complex machines like the Bernina's the timing can get off by rough handling or use of the machine, but most machines rarely have timing issues. 90% of problems come from lack of maintenance/cleaning/lubrication, improper thread tension, or other easily fixed issues. Good luck with getting the machine. Keep us posted how it goes and post some pics if you get it!

I forgot to mention another great line of machines are the vintage "New Home" brand of machines made by Janome. Some say these are every bit as good as the Bernina's. I have yet to get my hands on one.

Listed for $55 bucks but it's been up over a week. Might try to haggle. Thanks for the tips. I was just gonna plug it in and buy it if it ran.

Machines usually look cleaner in the pics than in person, but that one looks like it's in good shape. My Ultrastitch 12 run's almost as smooth and my Bernina Record 830 did.
One thing to note is that the 70's is when they started introducing plastics into the internals of the machines, gears, cam stack, etc. Before then most machines were all metal. Kenmore is one of the few brands that still had mostly metal internals even into the 70's, but they did have a couple parts inside that were plastic. On the Ultra stitch 12, the only plastic inside I found was the camstack, which is the part that makes the fancy stitches. These sometimes are cracked from old age. If they crack, it effects only the quality of the fancy stitches of the cam that is cracked. To me this isn't a big deal because 99% of sewing will always be straight or zigzag stitches. If the cams crack on this machine, worst case scenario is you just lose the fancy stitches and still have superb straight and zigzag stitches to sew with.
I don't have my machine with me to take a pic, but take a flat head and philips screw driver with you when you go to look at the machine. There are two screws on the top cap of the machine that if you loosen, the top cap comes off. Look inside and inspect the cam stack. It will be on the top and to the left of where that blue thread spool is. The cam stack is black ( at least in mine it is) and looks like metal but it is actually plastic. Turn the machine by hand and visually inspect the cam stack for cracks as it turns around.
I would try and talk them down to $25-35 for the machine but even at $55, if it's in great shape and runs smoothly it's a good buy. I wouldn't pay $55 for it if the cam stack had cracks, but for $35 or less I wouldn't care. That's just me though.

$100 is too much IMO for that Kenmore in the cabinet. I wouldn't pay more than $25 for it.The ultra stitch will be a much smoother machine. Also the ultra stitch has a double pulley gear reduction already inside so it can sew some pretty thick stuff. I wouldn't recommend sewing a lot of thick leather on it, but it will sew it. Denim, canvas, though, no problem. If I remember correctly, the ultrastitch 12 sewed through 10+ layers of canvas pretty easily.

Oh, one more thing on that UltraStitch, it doesn't have a knob you turn on the handwheel to stop the needle bar from going up and down, like most old machines do. On it, all you do is push the hand wheel in and out. If you pull out on it, it should make a click and disengage the main crank inside so it doesn't spin and make the needle go up and down while threading a bobbin.

Vintage Sewing Machines for DIY bikepacking gear

I don't have personal experience with the 148's yet, but they were made in Japan and and should be similar quality as the 158 models of which many were also made in Japan. Some 158's were later made in Taiwan. Some people say the Japanese 158's are the best, but I think some of the Taiwanese machines are just as good, although quality control might possibly be a little more hit and miss with the Taiwan made machines. I think how the machine was cared for is probably the biggest factor.

Have you been able to find manuals to fix the broken ones or are you just mechanically inclined and familiar enough with sewing machines to figure it out? I've got an older singer, probably 70's, in a desk that was my mothers. I think she mentioned it needed repair at one point and started using a different machine. My sister has shown interest in the unit and I think we'd both like to have it in working condition if only for my dearly departed mother and her memory. Anyway, any links or resources you've encountered that could help me find a manual to fix the machine would be greatly appreciated. Nice thread too, btw.

I don't know why,... it's just MUSS easier to pedal than the other ones.

Have you been able to find manuals to fix the broken ones or are you just mechanically inclined and familiar enough with sewing machines to figure it out? I've got an older singer, probably 70's, in a desk that was my mothers. I think she mentioned it needed repair at one point and started using a different machine. My sister has shown interest in the unit and I think we'd both like to have it in working condition if only for my dearly departed mother and her memory. Anyway, any links or resources you've encountered that could help me find a manual to fix the machine would be greatly appreciated. Nice thread too, btw.

I do have manuals for most of my machines. They way I learned and am learning has been a combination of reading the manuals, conversing online in forums and facebook with others who know about sewing machines, and just tinkering with them myself as I am very mechanically inclined and have been into modifying and fixing things as long as I can remember.
Most sewing machine manuals don't have instructions how to fix the machines, they just give general guidelines how to use and clean/lube them. What I've found is that once you get familiar with how they work and how to service/ maintain them, they are really pretty much all the same or very similar at least. There are a few more advanced things such as timing adjustments on them, but it's very rare that anything is ever wrong with the timing on the older machines.
If you can take some pics of the machine and post them, as well as find the model number on the machine I can see what I can help you with. Many of the manuals can be found free online, but some you have to buy in pdf form. What happens on a lot of these old machines is that people use them for long periods and never clean/de-lint or oil them. Then they start acting up and they put them away for a long time cause they think they need fixing when all they need is a simple cleaning and servicing. Also, many people don't know the basics of adjusting upper and lower thread tension which is critical in having a machine that sews well. It's common for people to think there is something wrong with a machine when it's really just a quick adjustment of some sort.
Anyway, post it up and let's see what you have!

Thanks N8R for an informative and inspiring topic. Quite a passion you have for that stuff.

I just got a 1957 Singer 185, used until recently and maintained by a shop. Worked perfectly on its trial run. It has numerous attachments for zigzag and who-knows-what. Psyched to ruin some material, er, sew up some bags for myself.

Was just chatting with the wife about product cycles and so-called extended producer responsibility, which some are proposing to legislate. It's about managing resources and reducing landfill. Europe is ahead in this, as usual. The gist is, make stuff that lasts and can be repaired – like these old sewing machines.

we have an ultrastitch at home...recently its started jamming and also stopped stiching...looks like the lower portion is not catching the thread, especialy in zigzag mode.
wondering if you got any pointers on what to look for as far as fixing it..
maybe if you can link me to a manual for maintenance, i doubt it ever had any maintenance done to it.
thanks

One thing to check is to make sure the reverse lever isn't sticking. It's common for them to stick when having not been used for a long time. With the lid off, push down on the reverse lever and look inside at which parts are moving. When you let go of the lever, the parts that move inside should go back to their original position. If they don't and stay up, just put a few drops of triflow chain lube on all the pivots you see moving and repeatedly push the reverse lever up and down. Sometimes it takes a while of working it to get it nice and smooth.

I'd also clean any lint from the hook/bobbin area and oil the machine before sewing anything with it. Pages 19-21 in the manual show where to oil it. The most important places to make sure are oiled are the spots that spin fast on the crank. As you spin the crank around slowly by hand you'll see a little hole on rod cap where the oil goes. Just one or two drops in each area is all that's needed. Also the hook needs to be oiled regularly so it oscillates smoothly.

we have an ultrastitch at home...recently its started jamming and also stopped stiching...looks like the lower portion is not catching the thread, especialy in zigzag mode.
wondering if you got any pointers on what to look for as far as fixing it..
maybe if you can link me to a manual for maintenance, i doubt it ever had any maintenance done to it.
thanks

Could be a number of things, so start with the easiest first. When trouble shooting the first thing to always do is put in a new needle and make sure it's inserted and threaded the right way. A bent or worn out needle can cause jamming and other problems, as can a machine that hasn't been cleaned and is full of lint. Needles are only good for about 8 hrs of sewing and then they go dull and should be replaced. Make sure the bobbin/hook area is clean and free from lint and other foreign debris. Remove the bobbin and hook and put a couple drops of the outside rim of the hook so it has lubrication when it rotates inside the driver. See pages 19-21 on how and where to oil. Pages 22-23 have more info on trouble shooting problems. Hope that helps, let me know if that doesn't fix it.

About 20 years ago I found one of these Singer Featherweights at an antique shop in the Poconos. I bought it for my mom who is a "pro" quilter. She said it stitches as accurately or better than any of the half-dozen other full-size machines she had at the time.

My wife encouraged me to learn how to repair and adjust her sewing machines.She owns several 201 Singer models and a nice serger.I have a 400 series with a forward slanted foot that is very nice to use and will sew sail cloth.If you have the need some very heavy duty machines are imported from China these have a wet sump system and can sew anything with the right needle and thread.If you are into sports of any kind sewing makes it better through inventive need.I just acquired a nice leather handbag and will convert it into a handlebar bag and light rucksack.I have made countless long cotton socks for my "GAT" collection and canvas bags to tote them in.A heavy wool coat is in the line up done in Mossy Oak for next year.Great Thread.
-CL

How does the OP like this Pfaff 130? I bought it from a restorer for $600 in 1992 and it has sewn fabric from heavy canvas sails to ultralight silnylon quite to my liking. But it is my only machine ever, and it do have its quirks.

I use it in handcrank style, as the motor burned out many years ago. The wanut base is not original.

Vintage Sewing Machines for DIY bikepacking gear

Well I scored a kenmore 146.156 yesterday. Really clean. Wouldn't run at first so opened it up and oiled every moving part and bam works awesome now. I made a couple wallets as a first project out of some vinyl upholstery fabric. Bigger things to come once i learn a bit more.

How does the OP like this Pfaff 130? I bought it from a restorer for $600 in 1992 and it has sewn fabric from heavy canvas sails to ultralight silnylon quite to my liking. But it is my only machine ever, and it do have its quirks.

I use it in handcrank style, as the motor burned out many years ago. The wanut base is not original.

It does both straight and zig zag, the latter crucial to sailmaking.

Hey Jan, will you please post a pic of your hand crank attachment? I'm interested in doing that to my Necchi. I can invent a handle and crank arm, just wondering about length and how you've clamped it to the hand-wheel. Thanks.

yes, the older all metal home machines are good. But, once you get a full size industrial machine you won't look back. I've had an old 'Dressmaker' that I kept wanting to put in the dumpster... but couldn't bring myself to do it and put back in the storage pile to someday fix and sell.

How does the OP like this Pfaff 130? I bought it from a restorer for $600 in 1992 and it has sewn fabric from heavy canvas sails to ultralight silnylon quite to my liking. But it is my only machine ever, and it do have its quirks.

I use it in handcrank style, as the motor burned out many years ago. The wanut base is not original.

It does both straight and zig zag, the latter crucial to sailmaking.

I don't have personal experience with the pfaff 130 but from what ive read its a good and highly regarded machine. There are a couple things i don't like about it such as the cleated belt it has which is nearly impossible to find a replacement for, but over all it seems to be a nice machine.

I got my pulley from a 70's kenmore sewing machine. There are probably other machines that have a similar gear reduction pulley. I have a Necchi 534f that also has the same reduction pulley. The Kenmore Ultrastitch series of machines have it too

1948 necchi bf

Here's my Italian Necchi BF - never thought I'd post it on MTBR, great idea for a thread. Since others are asking about gear reduction, here is a pic of the pulley I added to mine. A few objectives when I set this up were: Didn't want to slow down the machine too much, wanted to drop the amperage of the motor when sewing heavy material, and didn't want to harm the original machine. I also dimensioned the system so both belts are the same size, just helps simplify stuff.

I turned the pulley on my lathe out of 6061 aluminum and set in two sealed bearings with a sintered bronze spacer. This was needed to be able to tighten the axle bolt without binding the bearings. The small section of the pulley is 1" and the large section is 2" in diameter. The arm is mild steel, because I didn't have any aluminum stock in the size I needed. The bottom bolt serves as a pivot and the arc cut in for the top bolt allows for adjustment of the belt tension.

The motor is rated at 0.9 amps. In heavy material running fast the machine used to draw about 0.96 amps, and would get pretty warm (not quite hot, light fabric was no problem). Now it runs at 0.72 amps at high speed in heavy material, and is just barely warm to the touch.

The whole thing can be removed in a few minutes and revert the machine back to its stock condition.

Other than that, keep a machine like this clean and oiled and it'll be good to go.

Funny to read about sewing machines on this forum. The older machines go through anything beautifully. However; parts aren't as easy depending on the machine. My mom's Bernina took everything with ease. I had a 70's or 80's Husqvarna Viking machine that was the bomb. You could switch it into heavy duty and go through anything. It's too bad the parts are no longer available and I had to toss it.

I fell in love with the Husqvarna Viking line because of that machine and have two machines that I use; a Topaz and a Ruby. Neither one are powerful enough to go through everything, but as a quilter, I don't need the power. I just wanted the 10 inch bed to stuff quilts through.

I found a New Home treadle machine that was old enough to have a shuttle and used really tiny bobbins. Wound a bobbin even better than my TOL machines.

so i took the necchi nora to the shop to get it refurbished. pretty close to $200. on the way out to the car the handle on the case broke and it crashed to the ground. the machine is ok but the case came apart and one of the hinges broke. looks like i'll be building a new bottom for the case this weekend.

Singer 247

Any thoughts on the Singer 247 shown below?
Just opened it up, haven't picked out what kind of oil I'm going to use on it yet. Hoping for the best... I do see some plastic but it looks like it's okay.

By the way, I don't know if it's the html disabling they've done recently but the opening post (N8R) has a bunch of pictures and I can't see any of them. It looks like you went to a lot of work to put this together, but might want to make it so the pictures show...

I have the plastic bottom piece that it sits in, it's just off so I could clean it up and see the belts underneath.

I subsequently bought some Singer sewing machine oil and put it into lots of places, and it seems to run very smooth! I see some Orange-ish brown grease on the worm gear, I might just replace that with something potentially newer.

My wife reminded me that I already have a sewing table that my laserjet is sitting on. I really didn't remember that. Sure enough looks like it will work! Old laserjets are fun to collect too by the way.

Last edited by ETChipotle; 03-20-2015 at 04:28 AM.
Reason: It ran nicely once oiled

Just dug out my parents old Free Westinghouse Model E sewing machine in hopes of getting it running well and making my own bikepacking bags. Does anyone have any experience with this machine? I think that it should be up to the task. One problem, I know nothing about sewing. I know there was a thread on here or bikepacking.net that talked about cleaning up sewing machines. The machine runs but could use some TLC. If you could point me towards this thread or another good one that would be great. Can't wait to dive in. Thanks in advance!

The best thing I inherited from my maternal grandmother was a Bernina Record 970 (guessing on number?) I've done many projects with it and love it; including a repair on my wife's pack used for San Juan huts trip.

Anyone picking up one of these older machines; I would highly recommend taking it to a good shop for a tuneup. A jamming machine will make you hate sewing. It takes a while to be able to sew a straight line. Stick with it.

Oh sh!+ just force upgraded to cat1. Now what?
Best thing about an ultra marathon? I just get to ride my bike for X hours!